Problems · NHTSA complaints
1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems
Owners filed 135 complaints about the 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse with NHTSA between Jan 1999 and Mar 2019. The most-cited component is power train (30).
Complaints
135
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Power train30
- Structure25
- Engine and engine cooling21
- Suspension14
- Steering13
- Electrical system8
- Service brakes, hydraulic8
- Wheels7
- Latches/locks/linkages7
- Equipment7
- Seats3
- Vehicle speed control3
- Air bags3
- Visibility2
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
19
13
20
24
6
20
11
6
7
3
2
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 19 |
| 2000 | 13 |
| 2001 | 20 |
| 2002 | 24 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 20 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Power train
30 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM, AXLE, AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 206,000.”
Structure
25 reports
“APRIL 2010 WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE A 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE RS HATCHBACK AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES PER HOUR, THE 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE RS HATCHBACK SUDDENLY LOSS CONTROL AND CRASHED ONTO THE ROADWAY. I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE CAR INSTANTLY LOSS USE OF CONTROL IN STEERING AND THE CAR PROCEEDED TO LEAVE THE ROAD ONTO A GRASSY MEDIAN TO MY LEFT SIDE. I DISCOVERED THE FRONT CONTROL ARM WAS LYING ON THE ROADWAY DETACHED FROM THE AXEL AND TIRE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WAS WEDGED AT AN ANGLE BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE DISASSEMBLED PARTS OF THE CAR. I HAD THE 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE TOWED HOME AND REPLACED THE FAULTY PARTS WITH ANOTHER FRONT CONTROL ARM & LOWER BALL JOINT PURCHASED FROM AUTO ZONE. IN 2011, THE SAME VEHICLE A 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE RS HATCHBACK LOSES CONTROL WHILE IN MOTION AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES PER HOUR, AS I WAS TURNING LEFT ONTO A TWO LANE STREET. THE CAR LOST STEERING CONTROL SKIDDING OFF THE ROADWAY IN THE DIRECTION ON-COMING TRAFFIC. THE FRONT CONTROL ARM WAS LYING ON THE GROUND DETACHED FROM THE FRONT DRIVER?S SIDE WHEEL. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WAS WEDGED BETWEEN THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE AND THE ROAD. I CONTACTED A TOWING…”
Engine and engine cooling
21 reports1 fire
“WHILE HAVING A BASIC OIL CHANGE AT THE MITSUBISIHI/CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP WAS INFORMED OF THE HEAD GASKET LEAK. AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE MOTORS AND A $1000 TO REPAIR.*AK”
Suspension
14 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND HAD IT TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM, AXLE, AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 206,000.”
Steering
13 reports5 crashes
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR A SAFETY ACT THAT WOULD REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS; HOWEVER, AFTER HE RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT IT WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT DUE TO THE TIRE ALIGNMENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE DID NOT NEED AN ALIGNMENT WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BALL JOINTS. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND ANOTHER MITSUBISHI DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT FOLLOWING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BALL JOINTS. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 91,000.”
Electrical system
8 reports2 fires
“CAR WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WILL HAVE TO TRY TO RESTART THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. , .SEVERAL MECHANICS AND EVEN THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP HAD HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER, AND THEY WILL NOT GET ANY READINGS FOR THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF BUILD UP IN THE EXHAUST, AND THEY CLEANED IT OUT, AND NOT EVEN 5 MILES DOWN THE ROAD IT STALLED AGAIN. REPLACED BELTS,GASKETS,SPARK PLUGS AND HOSES. THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. WELL IF THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT I WOULDN'T BE SCARED TO DRIVE IT WITHOUT GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. *AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.